The Soul Stealing
by angels babe1
Summary: Angel comes to the aide of a stricken Buffy, this is my first attempt so be kind but please review all feedback would be helpful.


THE SOUL STEALING  
  
  
  
The moment she stepped out from the theatre she knew there was something wrong. It wasn't anything she could put a finger on more a feeling from deep in the pit of her stomach. Every muscle was tense with the fear of the unknown that seemed to be stalking her. She had gotten this same feeling a few days earlier but brushed it off putting it down to nausea. These time though it was different to the point where she could almost smell the danger that was coming. Taking in her surrounding she hurried off down the street to meet with her mentor he might have some answer for her.  
  
"bang" She hit the ground hard, not knowing what had happened she jumped to her feet taking a fighting stance. In almost disbelief she looked at what stood before her. It was large maybe 7 feet tall and the deepest shade of violet she had seen. It came towards her she threw a spinning heel kick in the direction of its head. Connecting with a thud the thing took a backward step but only for a moment before she girl had a chance to plan her next move it had her in its grasp and raised her to its waiting mouth. She tried her hardest to break free but it was no use the next thing she felt was a sharp pain in her right shoulder then slowly things started to fade she had blacked out before she hit the ground.  
  
Xander had been walking from the local convience store when he saw a group of people hovering around something being the curious guy that he was he saunted over. Going up to a man standing to the back of the crowd he asked "what's all the fuss over", the man turned to him and said "a girl she looks pretty bad". Xander moved closer to get a better view he thought it might be something Buffy should know about. As he got closer he felt a sick feeling come over him as he saw the limp figure on the ground looked familiar he dropped his groceries and pushed his way past the people. He brushed the hair from her face and felt the hot sting of tears in his eyes as he saw it was Buffy. "Quick call 9-11 "he yelled.  
  
He grabbed his cell phone from his pocket and called Giles. "Giles its Xander buffy been hurt ambulance is on the way meet us at Sunnydale memorial".  
  
Giles got to the hospital and rushed through the doors. He saw Xander and Willow sitting in the waiting area. "What happened" he asked   
"I'm not sure" Xander replied "I was coming back from the store and I saw a group of people so went to check it out that's when I saw her" He said his head dropping.  
"She's been bitten by something, there were marks on her shoulder" Willow added, "it wasn't a vamp"  
"Have they given you any news on her status" Giles inquired "No" Willow answered.  
The three of them took a seat and began the wait for information on the health of the slayer.  
  
  
About 2 hours later a nurse approached them. "Are you with the young lady that was brought in earlier" she asked  
"Yes, how is she" a chorus of 3 voices asked  
"Stable for now the nurse said "we really need to find what happened her body isn't reacting to our medications and I am afraid if we don't find something soon we may lose her".   
"Can we see her" Willow asked  
"Yes but not for long, follow me" the nurse motioned as she moved away.  
  
Entering the small dimly lit room the 3 friends were shocked at what they saw. There in a bed lied Buffy hooked up to a variety of machines and looking small and frail not an ounce of the strength she was known for evident. The nurse checked her vitals and shook her head.  
  
Xander sat by the bed and took her hand in his, it felt cold and clammy almost like that of a dead person or a vampire. He started to think. "Giles she is cold like a vamp, but she is alive is that possible?"  
Giles removed his glasses and started to wipe them " it has been known but only from the bite off......." He trailed off turned and said hastily "I will be back soon, I have to check something out" as he ran from the room.   
Xander and Willow looked at each other then turned their attention back to the fragile girl in the bed.   
"I better give Tara a call and let her know whets happening" Willow said.   
"Ok " Xander replied his eyes never leaving Buffy.  
  
  
Giles arrived at the Magic Box rushing inside and straight to the bookshelf where he grabbed a large leather bound book. It looked aged and he flicked through the pages stopping at one about a third into the book.   
"metophere demon" he said aloud, as he read through the pages in front of him. He shut the book and rushed back out to his car.  
  
"No change" he said coming back into the room.  
"None" said Willow.  
"Xander can you take me to where you found Buffy" Giles asked  
"Sure" Xander replied "when"  
"Now" Giles answered already heading for the door.  
Xander stood up and followed Giles giving Willow a little smile as he left.  
  
Back in the alley where Xander came across the stricken Buffy Giles was looking for something Xander didn't quiet know what.   
"Can I help you " he asked  
"No I don't know what I am looking for exactly but when I see it I will know" Giles replied.  
Xander took a seat on a milk crate and watched the older man carefully examining the whole area. After about 15 minutes he was startled by a loud "there"  
He looked up to see Giles pointing to something on the far wall. He jumped up and hurried over.  
"What is there, I can't see anything" he quizzed.  
"That yellow splotch" he said "that's the secretion of the metophere demon, I believe that is what attacked Buffy" the older man said rather excited.  
"Metophere demon that's a new one what is it" asked xander  
Giles removed his glasses once again cleaning them as he spoke " its a large demon normally purple in colour it lives by feeding of the natural aura of the human soul. It victims while being alive have the symptoms of the dead much like a vampire. Body temperature goes down and body functions can cease" he said placing the glasses back on the bridge of his nose.  
"Not sounding good Giles" said xander "so if this is in fact what got buffy what do we need to do to cure her"  
Giles looked at Xander his brow furrowed " that is the one thing about the metophere demon I don't know a cure"  
Both men looked at each other knowing the implications of that statement may change their lives forever.  
  
Back at the hospital Buffy takes a turn for the worse and Willow is ushered from the room.  
Sitting in the lobby she see's Giles and Xander.  
"We know what got her but not how to cure her" xander told Willow  
Willow looking at Giles "what do you mean you don't know a cure, surely there is something in those books about it"  
"I'm afraid not Willow the metophere demon is rare I haven't come across one in all my years with the council. In fact there are no records of them being in this dimension for at least 200 years" Giles solemnly said  
"ANGEL" Willow blurted out  
"What's he got to do with anything" Xander asked his dislike for him obvious  
"200 years ago he was living he may know something" Willow said giving Xander a hard stare  
Giles tapping his glasses against his forehead "yes Willow I believe your right I shall call him right away"  
With that he left the room.  
  
LA   
  
The phone rang just as Cordelia was about to leave the hotel come office/home.  
"Angel investigation how may I help you, oh hello Giles yes he is in hang on a minute and I will grab him for you" she said placing the receiver on the desk and heading for the stairs.  
"Angel its Giles he wants to talk to you" she shouted upstairs  
"Be right down" a muffled voice replied.  
Angel came bounding down the stairs it was obvious he had just stepped out of a hot shower steam still rising from his body. His shirt was still open as he headed over to the desk and grabbed the phone.  
"Hello, yes I know of them" he said nodding his head "give me a few hours I will be right there" he said hanging up the phone.  
"cordy get Wesley and Gunn we are off to Sunnydale, Buffy's been attacked and I am the only one who can save her" he shouted out.  
Within an hour they were on their way to sunnydale.  
  
It wasn't quite sunset when they arrived, heading straight for the hospital they meet a very relieved Giles.  
"Oh Angel, thanks for coming so soon, she is getting worse" he told the vampire  
"How long has it been since the attack" angel inquired  
"Almost 24 hrs" Xander piped up having just come from Buffy room.  
Angel looked more alarmed at that piece of information "we don't have much time, if we don't find it and get back buffy soul she will become one of the undead. The bite from a metophere takes 32 hours to take affect so that only leaves us about 8 hours"  
"Take me to where she was attacked it should give me an idea of what his objective is" turning to leave.  
  
Back in the alley Angel looked at the trail of yellow pith left by the demon.   
"This wasn't a pleasure attack it was sent to do this" he said " see these marks they are only left to show the master that the job has been done. You follow these and you will find your metophere" he stood and looked at the others.  
Willow said" I can do a homing spell to find it but once we find it what do we have to do to get her soul back"  
"Remove its goeter" angel told her  
"goeter" Xander asked "sounds like something a New Zealander night fancy" he chuckled  
Giving Xander a look of disbelief angel said " no it's the inner bag he keeps the souls he had stolen kind of like your stomach. He holds them there till he digests them"  
"Oh that's lovely" Giles said  
"The only way to get the goeter is to take the metophere from behind piercing the base of the neck this paralyses it and you can them take the goeter from its place at the stem of the brain" angel said mater of factly.   
"Come on lets go back to the magic shop to get the supplies we need" Giles said heading for the car.   
  
Back at the magic shop Willow was busy gathering the items needed for her spell. Angel and Giles in the meantime set out to find the silver sword Giles was sure he kept in the supply cabinet. Having the items they needed Giles and Angel watched as Willow prepared for her incantation.   
  
By this time Tara had arrived and both young witches seated themselves opposite each other holding hands, an urn with the special ingredients between them. They started the spell Giles and Angel ready for the forthcoming demon.  
"Come forth and bring to thee the soul of those from whom you flee, this spell I cast and solemnly ask that the black soul metophere face the wrath " Willow and Tara chanted in unison.  
  
With the last word said a swirly black light appeared flashing through the magic shop and with a tremendous thud a huge beast stood before them. In a flash Angel charged at the beast trying to gain the advantage he was meet with a fist to the face witch sent him flying across the room. He came again with much the same result. As he was gaining his feet he saw Xander rush at the metophere this time Angel saw his advantage while the demon had its back turn angel swung the sword piercing the neck instantly the demon fell. After that it was easy the sword cut through the base of the brain and Angel reached in pulling out gold like small bag.   
"This is the goeter all needs to be done is opened and all the souls from those he has stolen from shall be returned".  
Angel opened the bag and light started to come out I swirls faint voices of gratitude could be heard. The group rushed back to the hospital to see if it had been a success.  
  
Entering Buffy's room all were relieved to see Buffy sitting up in her bed. The nurse turned to them and said " it was an instant recover she is fine now and ready to be released".  
  
Back at home Buffy thanked her friends for saving her life. Angel and co were leaving for L.A. Buffy pulled Angel aside "thank you for coming all this way for me" she said to him  
"Are you kidding me I would die for you Buffy you know that" he said?   
"I know but with all that have happened between us I just know how painful it is to be around each other" she almost whispered the last bit of the sentence.  
Angel reached down and lifted her face to his with a finger gazed down on her and said" I love you Buffy Summers I always will no matter what" He bent down to her and kissed her gently. Then turned and left.  
Buffy could hear the car as it drove down the street she didn't move till she could no longer hear anything but the sound of the insects in the night.  
  
  
Returning inside she went to her friends.  
"You ok" Xander asked  
"I am now thanks to you guys" she said  
"Oh I hear they have a re run of Star trek - the wrath of Khan anyone" Xander laughed  
"Oh Xander you and your sci-fi" they all laughed.  
  
THE END 


End file.
